"Valentina Hatun, you recovered now so you can go to Harem where they will give your bed and duties what you must do," nurse said to me after I have been in infirmary for two days and she helped me for my leg to be better so I could walk normally again.

"Thank you for helping me," I said to her before I left the infirmary and walked to the Harem where all the girls stood and curiously looked at me.

"This is the girl that stole our Sultan's attention,"

"She putted magic spells on Sultan so he would fall in love with her on the first sight,"

"Sultanas will be very mad when they see her in Palace,"

"Valentina, here you are, we were so worried for you," Roberta said as she approached me and took me into a warm hug, and soon after Margareta and Karla came and did the same thing.

"I am jealous of you, look how Sultan himself treated you, he held you like a princess," Karla said to me and I couldn't not to blush at her words because that was how I felt for real.

"ATTENTION! HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY VALIDE KOSEM SULTAN!" agha on the doors noticed and we all stood in a line when a woman in her 40s walked into a Harem.

I haven't even looked at her face but when I saw how is she walking and how everyone fears of her, I knew this woman has a power no one else has.

She walked with her assistant Lalezar Kalfa and they gathered to see the new concubines who arrived to the Harem to present the most beautiful between them to the Sultan.

"Are you Valentina?" she walked in front of me and asked me so I raised my head just a little bit to look at the Sultana.

" I am," I answered.

"My lion said to me what happened, I hope everything is fine now," she said.

"Thank you, Sultana, everything is fine now," I said as I bowed to her once again and I could see a little smile on her face.

Kosem walked around to look at the other concubines that arrived, and honestly I hoped so much that she would chose me to see the Sultan again because I couldn't stop thinking about him for the whole time.

"I choosed those three girls," Kosem said and pointed at three girls. I saw there and realised she haven't chosed me to go to Sultan and felt some kind of disappointment.

Between the girls that Kösem chosed to go to dance on a feast for Murad was Margareta. My best friend Margareta. Together with her there were two russian concubines named Alyona and Tanya.

I took a deep breath trying not to show my jealousity towards Margareta who was shining from happiness when she saw she is the chosen one.

"This is your chance girls to become powerful in this Palace. If Sultan likes you, then he will call for you again. If you give birth to a son, no one could stop you from having power," Lalezar Kalfa said to Margareta, Alyona and Tanya who were shining from happiness.

I sat on the bed that was standing at the edge of the Harem trying not to show everyone that I wanted to be in their place. I didn't want power which Lalezar was talking about, I wanted to see those most beautiful brown eyes in the world at least once again.

"Stop acting like this, Valentina, they will think you are jealous of them," Roberta said as she went closer to me and sat.

"Why would I even be jealous of them," I said looking at the another side trying to run away from her look.

Roberta knew me since my childhood and there was nothing I could hide from her. She could see excatly from my face expression if I feel sad or I am happy, or if there is something that worries me.

"How couldn't you be jealous when you thought Sultan will fall in love with you, but he forgot about you really soon, you see that he carried you through the Harem means nothing when you won't see him again," russian concubine Alyona which was chosed to go to havlet walked closer to me and said in a bitchy tone.

"I would be never jealous of someone that is like you," I said and looked at another side but Alyona stepped in front of me.

"When I give birth to a son you will see why you should be jealous. You will stay forever here as a servant, while I will look at you from there," Alyona said and pointed with her finger to balcony of the chambers of Valide Sultana.

"Where is Valentina Hatun?" Haci-ağa came inside Harem and asked for me while I had no idea what have I done.

"I am here," I said and stood up.

"You will also prepare for tonight," Haci said and left the Harem making me happy because I have another opportunity to see Murad.

I followed Lalezar who took Alyona, Tanya, Margareta and me to hammam first, and then later to prepare for the dance.

She showed us how we should move so our dance could entertain the Sultan. I was kinda nervous I will see him, but around us will be many girls which he could look at not even seeing me.

"This is the Golden Way, this may be your only opportunity to walk on it. If Sultan likes you, he will call you once again, but remember, this might be your only chance to go here," Haci Aga said seriously to us when we came in front of Sultan's chambers.

I knew this wouldn't be the last time I go this way. My heart told me that this will be the way I will use every day until the rest of my life. When I want something, I will get it.

Doors of Sultan's chambers opened and all four of us walked inside. Sultan Murad was sitting on his throne while musicians where playing music instruments.

When music started the four of us started to dance excatly the way Lalezar thought us. Even though she didn't have a lot of time, I learned it fast.

S

ultan Murad was watching us with excitement and for the whole time I tried to do whatever was needed to get closer to him, to make him look at me.

The music stopped and as all of us were supposed to fall down on the floor and wait who will get the purple silk, I decided I will have to change the things.

I looked him directly into his eyes making seductive look to him, turned around and got up to continue the dance.

I tried to look at Murad as much as possible, and I could see he can't look at anything beside me who was moving her hips.

I knew I have stolen all of Murad's attention, and at one moment, I fell down on my knees in front of him like all the girls have.

With the corner of my eyes I could see him taking the purple silk and he threw it in front of me.